District 1-1A Titles for Dock Mennonite girls, Faith Christian boys
DOYLESTOWN >> Last year, Dock Mennonite’s Billinda Leisner was forced to sit out the District 1-A Final against rival Faith Christian with a concussion.
She watched from the sideline as the Pioneers fell 2-1.
In this year’s district title rematch at chilly Central Bucks West, Leisner made her presence count in the form of the winning goal in the Pioneers’ 2-1 victory over the Lions.
Said Leisner: “Being able to beat them this year is just a dream come true.”
The Dock girls were wearing district gold medals by nightfall, and shortly after the Faith Christian boys claimed their third title in a row, with an impressive 5-1 win over Dock.
The Faith and Dock boys are both headed to states; the Pioneer girls get ready for a Thursday battle with District 12 Champ MaST II to decide which team heads to the state tournament.
“We played very well in the first part of the first half. We controlled the ball very well,” said Leisner after the victory. “We fell apart a little bit towards the end of the half, but coming back after the break, we came out with the intensity we needed to finish that game and got the results we wanted.”
Kenzie Derstine gave the Pioneers a 1-0 lead but their momentum dissipated a bit when Faith’s Cassidy Norley plugged one in at the other end in the final moments of the first half.
But Dock’s determination did not waver.
With 31 minutes left in the contest, Leisner got to a loose ball and knocked it in to put the Pioneers in front for good, 2-1.
“It was a free kick, one of my girls hit it and (Faith keeper Roman Sigafoos) bobbled it, and I just followed up,” Leisner said. “I was like, I need to be there. I need to get that ball in.”
Leisner also showed her versatility when injuries in the lineup caused her to fill in at center back. She helped keep Faith off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
“Stepping up back there is something I take a lot of pride in because you don’t want the other team to score at that point,” the junior said. “The third goal is always the most intense goal of the game.”
Emily Markel made some nice saves in net to preserve the 2-1 lead.
What a difference a year makes for Leisner and Dock.
“It was pretty heartbreaking,” she said of her injury a year ago. “I knew I could trust my team. They tried their very best in that game and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
“I’m looking forward to that game on Thursday. Our team is up for the challenge.”
Faith kept battling. The Lions got the equalizer from Norley and put the pressure on in the final minutes to try and get it to 2-2.
“We played well. We played our hearts out til the very end,” said coach Rachel Rivera. “I wish it would have come out with a different result but it was a hard, physical battle.
“Cass has been huge for us all season. She is just a solid, all-around player and leader.”
The Lions lose some great seniors like Norley but have a young nucleus in place.
“We started five or six freshmen the entire season,” said Rivera. “We’re a very young team. We relied on our senior talent for sure. And I wish it would have wound up differently but they played their hearts out.”
The Faith boys pulled off a sweet three-peat and their sixth district title in the last seven years.
“They like each other. And I think they enjoy playing. And I think to have the opportunity to have another week of practices together, is motivation enough,” Lions coach Ryan Clymer said of his squad. “We know we have the skills to win, and these guys know the job’s not done.
“We talked before we came over tonight, before we got on the bus. We went in the gym and looked at the (championship) banners. There’s a heritage and there’s a brotherhood. I think they kind of got that, because the bus ride here was very somber and focused. And I think the guys were focused the entire way tonight.”
Faith goals by Antonio Luciano and Titus Gardner were sandwiched around a score by Dock’s Pablo Montaner, making it 2-1 Lions at the half.
Faith then had a three-goal outburst in a span of about 17 minutes in the second half, opening up a 5-1 lead.
Luciano and Isaac Schuster each had two goals in the victory.
Luciano, who moved here from Italy 10 months ago, is savoring the experience.
“We have a very good team. This is like my second family,” he said. “This was a good victory against a good team but we want to win more games.”
District 1-A Girls Final
Dock 2, Faith Christian 1
Dock 1 1 – 2
Faith 1 0 – 1
First Half
D-Kenzie Derstine; F-Cassidy Norley.
Second Half
D-Billinda Leisner.
District 1-A Boys Final
Faith Christian 5, Dock 1
Dock 1 0 – 1
Faith 2 3 – 5
First Half
F-Antonio Luciano; D-Pablo Montaner; F-Titus Gardner.
Second Half
F-Isaac Schuster; F-Luciano; F-Schuster.
